Sheet holder and bookmark



July 5, 1932. G. M. sAcERDoTE SHEET HOLDER AND BOOKMARK Filed May 16. 1928 ,2 2' INVENTOR.

Patented July 5, 1932 y Yunirsi) sii/iras PATENT OFFICE l Application led May 16, 1928. Serial No. 278,240.

This invention relates to improvements in holding the sheets flat against the cover of bookmarking devices and more particularly the book in order to prevent the sheets from refers to bookmarking devices ofa novel and moving or from bulging outwardly or from improved character which are adapted to lunfolding outright while a page of the book 5 holdthe sheets of an open book iiat against is being read. This happens as a rule with 554 v the cover preventing the possibility of their most new books, especially with books which bulging and unfolding., are tightly bound and with books which have 'The primary object of this invention is to an abnormal thickness. j provide a new article of manufacture in the The tendency of turned over leaves in books j io nature o-f a device adapted to be used as a to unfold is oneofthe most frequent sources bookmark and adapted at the same time to 'of annoyance to-readers, suitable means for be usedas a clamp or holder for the sheets preventing which, insofar as I know, have of a book, preventing their bulging out or not heretofore been proposed. unfolding while the book is being read; The present invention has for its main ob- Another object of this invention is to project to provide as a new article of manufac- L5 vide a bookmark of a noveland improved ture, a device adapted to firmly hold turned character adapted to'be secured onto the cover over sheets against the cover of a book, mako-f a book and formed with yielding means ing it unnecessary for the reader to do any adapted to clamp the sheets of a book against more than hold the book open with one hand. p :ZJ unfolding as they are gradually turned over Atthe same time thev device can also be used do by the reader. A as a bookmark assisting in the opening ofy a A further object is toprovide abookmarkbook at the proper place, where the mark has ing device and sheet holder comprising an been set. Y j expansible clip portion and an ornamental ln its simplest form my improved. device p E5 covering for the backing member thereof, essentially consists of a clip havingA two 5 forming an expansible clamping device which spreading substantially parallel jaws, Y said may be used as a'bookmark and which can clip being larger than those merely designed also be used as a means for holding the sheets for holding togetherV a number of sheets; of an open book fiat against the cover,pre while in its preferred form, the device also Y 7 venting their bulging outor unfolding; y comprises an ornamental backing carried by 80 Other objects and advantages of the presone of the clamping members serving to conu ent invention will more fully appear as the ceal the clip portion from view and provid'- description proceeds and will be setvforth and ingmeans for making the device in an unclaimed in the appended claims. limited variety of designs and shapes, great- Bookmarking devices generally 'co-nsistof lv enhancing its appearance. i 5

an ornamental flat piece ofmetal or ivory or Clips made from a single `piece of wirebent leather or other suitable material, which is' to form two clamping members orjaws which inserted between the sheets of a book in order normally lie in the same or adjoining planes! to enable the reader to openv the book at the and which can bespread apart to a consider- 10 proper place, A'bookmark of the ordinary able extent always remaining parallel to each type therefore doesV not as `a rule, fulfill any other, have been described and claimed by' useful function while the book is being read, me in a patent entitled Paper clips, issued to its function being limited 'to marking vthe me April l, 1930, No.1,753,094. place at which the book should be opened Other devices of the same character can be to quickly locate some particular page in the, tion, it being unnecessary in the presentvcase book.. j f Y for the two clamping members to be normally Itis a common experience with book readlying in the same plane, .this being one of the ers to be compelled to use both hands in hold` characteristics of some of the clips described 5f ing a book open and more particularly in in said patent. "on

r in order to continue` its reading or in order used for the purposes of the present inven- 95 Such a feature is necessary in a clip which is intended at times to connect only two sheets together, but in a device of the type to which this invention refers, the clamping action is practically always exerted to hold together a material thickness of papers, since the device is attached to the cover of the book which usually is considerably thicker than a numb-er of sheets placed together.

My invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my device as applied onto the cover of a book;

Fig. 2 is a front end view in elevation, partly sectioned of the same;

Fig. 3 is a rear end view in elevation of the same;

Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of a device embodying my invention with the inner covering of the outer clamping member partly removed;

Fig. 5 is a side view in elevation of the same attached to the back cover of a book;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 4, attached to the back cover of a book illustrating its manner of operation;

Fig. 7 is a front end view in elevation of the device in extended position.

Devices of the character described in my other patent above referred to are adapted to be used as paper clips only; and although I have found that if they are made of a size sufficiently large they canv also be used for clamping leaves of a book onto the cover, they do not in reality fulfill the requirements of `articles of this kind, because it is customary in bookmarks to have some ornament-ation or design of an attractive character both for decorative and identification purposes. Y

Bookmarks are generally classified as novelties suitable to be given as gifts and are in fact chiefly sold under this heading; and therefore the attractiveness of the device is its'most important feature aside from its' useful character which it must also possess.

lMy device therefore consists essentially of an ornamental backing member preferably in the form of a plate or medallion, and a clamping device such as a paper clip of the eX- pansible type of asize suiiieient to hold togethera considerable number of sheets, such as may be found in a book of ordinary thickness, integral with or attached to said backing member.

rearwardly and transversely in opposite directions to form head tracts 15, 16, respectively, constituting the outer and inner members of the base or head of the clip.

Said two tracts are once more bent forwardly at points 17, 18, to form fingers or prongs 19, 20, which together constitute one of the clamping members of the clip preferably the clamping member which is attached to the backing member 10 as shown by means of studs or rivets 19, 20, acting as anchoring means, or in any other suitable manner.

When the clamping member formed by center portion 12 and loop portions 13, 14 is forced away from the clamping member formed by fingers or prongs 19, 20, the two head tracts diagonally cross each other, but the two clamping members of which the clip is composed will always remain substantially parallel to each other. The capacity of the clip thus formed to spread a given quantity is mainly dependent upon the length of the head tracts 15, 16, which under normal conditions should not be made to cross at an angle of more than to 60 degrees.

TheV clamping member which is attached to the underside of the plate 10 is preferably covered with a thickness of material 21 providing a substantially fiat inner surface of contact for said member.

Said material preferably has a good frictional surface and consists of a piece of felt or leather or preferably metal having a rough surface.

The clamping member constituted by the prongs 19 and 2O are thus secured between the plate 10 and the cover plate 21, studs or rivets 19 and 20 holding the plates 10 and 21 together as illustrated more clearly in Figs. 1 and 4. As shown in Figs. 1 and 5 the cover plate 21 is substantially co-extensive in area with the plate 10 and extends from beyond the prongs 19 and 20 to the head tracts 15 and 16. Thus, the open clamping member constituted by the fingers or prongs 19 and 2O are joined together or held in fixed relation by the plates 10 and 21 in order to prevent movement of these parts with respect to each other.

In Figs. 1, 3, 22 designates the cover of a book, with my improved device attached thereto, said device being preferably inserted over the cover and leaves abutting there against, at the lower end of the left side of the book when the book is open.

In this manner Awhen the book is being read, as the pages are turned over one by one from the right towards the left, they are gradually inserted under the inner clamping member of the device and will be retained thereby against the possibility of bulging or unfoldmg.

n a similar manner the device may also be attached onto the back cover 22 of the book so as to hold the rear sheets 23 from This may become necessarywhen Ithe lec- 4ture of` abooli has so far advanced that the bull; of the sheets whichlhave been-turned Aover do not retain any tendency toturn bach,

while on the otherhanch-the remaining sheets tend to unfold from the Aback cover.

The insertion of new sheets under the inner clamping member is facilitated by pressing against the outer end of thecentral looL shaped finger formed by bending the wire at 12. In fact, by referring to Figs. 5, 6, it will be observed that the bent end 12 of said iinger projects outwardly of the inner sheet of the boolr clamped thereby; therefore the edge of said sheet will acts as a fulcrum, cau-sing the inner 'ends of loops 13, 14 tolmove slightly away from the surface of the sheet, when pressure is applied to tip 12.

It is also possible if desired to use two holders one attached to the front cover and one attached to the back cover, so that the sheets at both sides of the book may be held in their fully spread condition, while theV book is being read.

It is thus seen that I provide an entirely new article of manufacture in the nature of an expansible clamp adapted to hold the leaves of an open bool; in their spread condition, which can also be used as a bookmark. The use as a bookmark follows as a natural consequence, because when a bool; is temporarily laid aside and closed, the clamping device will remain set in position holding the pages which have already been read, clamped against the cover; so that in order to turn the book to the proper page it is suliicient to turn the cover and the clamping device causes the sheets or leaves clamped thereto to open therewith. The device can also be used for other purposes if desired.

The expansible clamping portion of the devicecan be made to differ in its construction from that shown in the drawing without departing1 from the inventive idea; it is also obvious that the ornamental part of the baching member may assume a practically unlimited number of forms or designs and may be made in a number of different materials.

The drawing will therefore be understood as being intended for illustrative purposes only and not in a limiting sense; I accordingly reserve myself the right to carry my invention into practice in all tho-se ways and manners which may enter, fairly, into the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described, comprising a clampingrportion formed from a single piece of metallic wire bent to form tvo clamping` members and an expansible head connecting said members, one of said clamping members being open at one end thereof and a plate member attached to the inner lside of said, open clampingmember,

Vforming a susbstantially flat clamping surface therefor. f

l 2. A; device ofthe class described, comprismga clamping portion formed from a single piece of metallic wire bent to form open and closed clamping members, and an eXpansible head composed of two members crossing each `other and each connecting one of the sides of one of said clamping members to the opposite side of the other, and a. member attached to one of the surfaces of said open clamping member preventing twisting movement of the elements composing the same.

device of the class described, comprising a clamping portion formed from A.a single piece of-metallic wire bent to form kopen and closed clamping members, and an expansible head composed of'two members crossing each other and each connecting one vof theisides ofone ofsaid clamping members to the opposite side of the other, and a -plate member attachedito the inner surface ofv 'said :open clamping member forming a substantially flat clamping surface therefor and preventing twisting movement of the elements composing the same. i 4. A device of the class described, comprising a clamping v.portion `formed from a single piece of metallic,v wire bent to form open andV closed clamping members and an expansible head comprising twov members crossing each other connecting said members, and rtwo plate members abutting one against each of the surfaces of said open clamping member, retaining said clamping member. therebetween. Y

. `5. A device of the class described, comprising a. clamping .portion formed from a single piece of metallic wire bent to form open and closed clamping members, and an eX- pansiblehead composed of two members crossing each other and each connecting one ofthe sides ofvone of said clamping members to theopposite side of the other, and two plate members abutting one against each of thesurfaces of said open clamping member, retaining said clamping member therebetween and preventing twisting movements of the elements composing'the same. i 6. In a device of the class described, comprising aclamping portion formed fromv a single `piece of metallicl wire bent to form open and closed clamping members, and an expansible head composed of two members crossing each other andy each connecting one of the sides of one of said clamping membersto the opposite side of the other, means maintaining, the elements composing said open member `insubstantially the same plane, irrespective ofthe degree' of expansion of saidmdevice.V i l. ,1 Y

, 7,.,Adevice of the class described, comprising a clamping` `portion formed from a single-piece of metallic wire bent to form two clamping members and an expansible head composed of two members crossing each other and each connecting one of the sides of one of said clamping members to the opposite side of the other, one of said clamping members having its free end formed with a rearwardly extending portion providing a finger tip rest, and a plate member attached to the inner surface of the other clamping member, forming a substantially fiat clamping surface therefor.

l 8. A device of the class described, comprising a clamping portion formed from a single piece of metallic wire bent to form open and closed clamping members, and an eXpansible head composed of two members Crossing each other and each connecting one of the sides Vof one of said clamping members to the opposite side of the other, said closed clamping member having its free end formed with a rearwardly extending portion providing a finger tip rest, and a plate member attached to the inner surface of the other clamping member, forming a substantially flat clamping surface therefor.

9. A device of the class described, comprising a clamping portion formed from a single piece of metallic wire bent to form open and closed clamping members, and an expansible head composed of two members crossing each other and each connecting one of the sides of one of said clamping members to the opposite side of the other, said closed clamping member having its free end formed with a rearwardly extending portion providing a nger tip rest, and two plate members abutting one against each of the surfaces of said open clamping member, preventing twisting movements of the elements composing the same.

10. A device of the'class described, comprising a clamping portion formed from a single piece of metallic wire bent to form open and closedclamping members, and an expansible head composed of two members crossing each other and each connecting one of the sides of one of said clamping members to the opposite side of the other, the elements composing said open clamping member being held in fixed relation to each other.

V11. A device of the class described, comprising a clamping portion formed from a single piece of metallic wire Vbent to form open and closed clamping members, and an expansible head composed of two members crossing each other and each connecting one of the sides of one of said clamping members to the opposite side of the other, and means forholding the elements of said open clamping member in fixed relation to each other.

12. A- device of the class described, comprising a clamping portion formed from a single piece of metallic wire bent to form open and closed clamping members, and an expansiblehead composed of two members GUIDO M. SACERDOTE. 

